Kansas State has came out on the losing end of the last three games between these NCAAB squads and with the hopes of a trip to the Big 12 Conference Championship on the line, things are going be high-octane to say the least. Amidst the chaos of Bruce Weber trying to coach his Wildcats to victory, the Cowboys rookie sensation Marcus Smart is going to steal the show.

Smart is one of only three players in the history of the Big 12 to win the rookie of the conference award and be the player of the conference in the same season–the other two are Kevin Durant and Michael Beasley who were both top two picks in the NBA draft. This is a time in Smart’s career when he is accomplishing things at a record pace. In the last three games he has recorded 20 or more points with the Cowboys coming out victorious in two of the three. However, the Baylor Bears gave the team a run for their money as they rallied from a 20 point deficit in the first round of the Big 12 Conference Tournament on Thursday.

Le’Bryan Nash was huge in that game with 24 points, but make no mistake, Smart is the force to be reckoned with who shines brightest in the biggest moments. Cowboys coach Travis Ford knows the importance of a game-changer like Smart and is looking to capture the program’s first Big 12 title since 2005 when they were victorious in consecutive tournaments.

Look for Smart to smash this Wildcats team again as he has posted 21 and 25 points in two games versus Kansas State this year.